“I was often alone. Unless I was training. But they were paid instructors. Much older, and men that knew Father would make sure they were never seen again if they tried to get too close.”
I had to lie through my teeth to Papa to even go on the few dates I had with the boy I lost my virginity to. I also enlisted the help of one of the only friends from my all-girl school so my driver thought I was with her. All of that work for very little fun. But I was determined to lose it on my own. After the terrible experience, I wasn’t as interested in all that work, and hadn’tbeen with another man until Hawk.
But as the daughter of Nikolai Petrov, I couldn’t just come and go as I pleased, so even meetups with friends were an ordeal. Many of the other girls at school had somewhat similar families, or at least families with money and power of some kind, but they also had their own friends and sisters or cousins.
I had Niko and my trainers.
“Well, now you’re constantly surrounded by people,” Klara said, pulling me from my thoughts.
Smiling, I nodded. “I am. And it’s not the same course, but Mama Hen is like having a second mother.” I hadn’t been there long but even the first time I met her, her presence was warm and inviting. She was tough, no doubt about that, but she was also motherly. “I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed having another woman in the house. I missed Mama every day, but the day to day routine of another female companion for breakfast and just…”
“I get it,” Klara said. “You haven’t had your mother in a long time. And surrounded by men.” She scoffed. “She’s been fun and lovely. I’m happy things are working out here for you, Katya.”
After sucking in a deep breath, my body relaxed as I blew it out. “I think they are. Not without a few bumps, but I haven’t been here long. They all have to get used to me, just like I have to get used to this place and everyone in it.”
“Except that one,” Klara said, tipping her head toward the door. “I do not like her.”
“Well, even Mama Hen says wonderful things about her.Yet,” I said, “they all seem to dislike Sugar.”
“She’s been nice to me. Heavy pour as well,” Klara answered.
“Same. Oh, well.” I put down the last bottle of perfume. “I think we’ve pillaged enough in here. Let’s go see what else we can get into.”
We wandered around, finding the laundry room on our own. It was huge, almost like a small hotel’s. But there were a decent amount of people that lived at the clubhouse. From the few glances I took, it appeared none of the rooms were large enough to have their own washer and dryer.
We eventually found our way down another hall and the doors were different. More like office doors. “I don’t think these are rooms,” Klara said.
We walked quietly through the hall, listening for any sign of people or movement.
“It’s so quiet,” she whispered.
“Shh, I’m not sure we’re supposed to be down here,” I whispered back.
A door opened and I tensed, grabbing Klara and pushing her behind me like I had to guard her life.
“Katya,” Niko said as he walked from the room.
Hawk was right behind him and he narrowed his eyes at me. “Niko, will you take Klara back to the bar for a drink?”
Niko smiled and buttoned his blazer. “My pleasure,” he said, coming closer and holding his arm out.
“I’ll be there soon,” I told her.
Hawk grabbed my arm lightly and led me down the hall. We came to another door. He opened it and waved me inside.
Walking in, I recognized it. I had been so turned around in the maze of hallways I didn’t realize where we were. But this was the room he brought me to the first night we arrived.
Standing with my hands clasped like a little girl about to be scolded for getting caught sneaking away, I waited for him to speak.
He led me inside, and walked me around the room. “Been exploring?”
“Klara is only here for a few days and you were busy, so…”
“So you wandered around?”
“Hawk, I–”
“It’s alright. I didn’t tell you anything was off limits.”
